If you drive a car, ride a bike, or operate machinery that uses tires, you will eventually get a puncture.
The terrible experiences of having a flat tire range from the drama of having your tire deflating while driving at 100 on a dual carriageway to having a flat tire in the middle of nowhere at a very odd hour.
There are days you may be lucky enough to notice the flat tire before you begin your journey. However, you may not always get that lucky.
Punctures are a hassle at best, but at worst, they can be the most dangerous experience. It will take some time to get your punctured tire sorted and cost you money.
Sometimes, you may be lucky to get a puncture that can easily be repaired and only cost you a small amount of money.
Still, punctures can often cause irreparable damage to your tire and may require you to replace the tire and inner tube sooner than expected.
Below are a few tips on how you can avoid having a punctured tire
How to Prevent Tire Puncture?
1. Be Careful Where You Drive
The first step to preventing punctures is avoiding places where you know they are likely to occur.
Such areas include areas where debris is on the road or construction sites.
You should also avoid driving over obvious dangers such as bits of metal, broken glass, or any item on the road that you cannot identify.
You may not have paid attention to where you position your car on the road, but that also is very important.
Certain areas are more likely to attract dirt, such as hard shoulders, the center of the road, and close to curbs.
You can save yourself the trouble and protect your tires by avoiding such areas, especially wherever you spot and accumulate debris.
2. Check Your Tread
Many drivers habitually pay little or no attention to their tires until they are damaged. Tires that are worn out can get more punctures than tires that have good threads.
Always check your tires and change them before they reach the legal minimum.
3. Check Your Tire Pressures Often
Unlike tires running at the right pressure, over-inflated and under-inflated tires are susceptible to puncture.
Things like bumps or potholes can easily damage an overinflated tire, while an underinflated tire suffers more friction, which causes it to wear out faster.
Check your tire pressure at least monthly to avoid the above scenarios.
4. Avoid Bumping Into the Curb
When trying to park against the curb, it is common to rub your tire along it as you attempt to get into place.
You need to take extra care because such friction can damage the sidewalls of your tire, weaken the structure, and lead to punctures.
5. Always Watch the Road Ahead
Another major cause of tire punctures is driving without paying attention to potholes on the road. Always look for potholes, especially in the dark.
A good driver should be able to anticipate the road ahead and avoid hitting potholes where possible.
6. Do Not Overload Your Vehicle
Every car has a maximum load rating. While this might not be an issue for some people, always bear in mind that if you overload your car, you might get close to that rating or probably exceed it.
One of the cons of driving an overloaded vehicle is that you put your tire under greater strain, which makes it more susceptible to punctures.
Punctures are always annoying, even if you drive a car with run-flat tires.
The best thing run-flat tires can do is allow you to drive a short distance safely to home or to a place to repair your puncture.
7. Invest in a Tire Puncture Sealant
Many drivers do not know the importance of investing in tire puncture sealants.
We can’t blame them much because there is little or no awareness of how valuable a tire puncture sealant can be.
Worse still, not every country has easy access to tire puncture sealants.
Tire puncture sealant usually comes in pressurized cans and with different brand names. One of the most commonly known brand names is Tire Armour.
A good tire puncture sealant can prevent punctures up to 15 mm in cars, bicycles, motorbikes, vans, and 4×4’s.
How Do Tire Sealants Work?
Whenever your tire has a puncture, the air inside the tire attempts to leak out, forcing the sealant into the hole.
Once the sealant can penetrate the wound, fillers, and fibers will interlock to form a permanent and flexible plug and prevent further air loss.
Pros of Tire Puncture Sealants
Convenience is one of the most significant pros of using a tire puncture sealant.
Tire puncture sealant does not require much stress. All you need to do is attach the nozzle of the sealant container to the tire valve system and apply the content to the tire.
What happens next is that the content spreads to the puncture and ultimately seals it, allowing you to drive without bothering about removing the tire.
The beautiful part is that the entire process of an application takes only a minute or two.
People in a hurry or with punctured tires in dangerous places do not have to get out of their cars to change their tires.
Even though tire puncture sealant removes your worries about punching tires, it is always best to have a spare tire in your car.
Even though you have applied a tire puncture sealant, it is always safe to get a traditional patch afterward and ensure the patch is gotten from a reputable tire servicing firm.
The Prices Are Reasonable
Considering the benefits of a tire puncture sealant, their prices are usually reasonable.
In the comment section, feel free to share other tips and your experiences with a punctured tire.
